The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-03-18

nounceds lover of horses. After the
| FLY, and in swift pursuit, came Miss
Matilda, tin lantern in her hand.
| why, you tribe of young scamps!"
she cried, when she saw us. "Where
you goin', sneakin' along like this?
Some of you run after that mare of
mine! She pushed the door open with
her head. Hurry up, some of you! I'll
give fried cake to the one that catches
herr'
Notwithstanding the munifcence of
this offer, none of the boys ran after the
FLY. Indeed, it was useless to do so,
for the animal had already disappeared
down the road.
"Whatr shrieked Miss Downey.
You won't any of you go? A purity
lot of young rascals you are! Out for
no good, I'll be bound Folks had bet
ter lock their hcn-roosts, should say!
Be off from here now, or I'll turn my
dogs on your
Her dogs, of which she kept two,
were,as ugly and grained as their
mistress. and her threat sent us down
the roa din hot haste When a quar-
ter of mile distant, we could see a
light in motion across the distant fields,
and concluded that Miss Matilda had
gone in search of her filly, for which
she seemed to have more affection than
for any human being in the world.
The place we had selected for our
festivities was cave two miles from
Downer's Forks. The cave was new
discovery in the neighborhood, and
various conjectures were rife as to its
probable history. We had never held
our egg carnival in it, and the idea of
doing so had charming tinge of ro-
nance and possible adventure for u.s.
Several of us believed in our secret
souls that the cave had once been the
rendezvous of band of robbers; nav,
some believed that robbers still came
to it, and that a careful search might
reveal hidden booty.
There were farm hands in the neigh
borhood who declared that the cave
was haunted, and said that strange
lights had been seen in the vicinity and
strange noises had been heard. A
wild beast of some unknown kind had
been killing sheep and pigs in the
neighborhood, and it was said that
strange footprints had been seen near
| the cave.
The cave was at the top of high
bluff overlooking a little stream called
Goose creek. 1t was a locality but
little frequented. But after the discov-
cry of the cave rough trail was made,
so that the summit of the bluff could be
reached by parties on horseback.
The cave was, after all, very ordi-
nary cave. 1t was not more than sew
enty-fve feet in length, and at the end
OF it there was a great room-like cavity
more than fifty feet in height. Diverg-
ing from the main entrance were two
tunnel-like excavations each about
forty feet in length, and small, low
chambers were at the end of these side
tunnels.
But the summit of the bluff was q
Withholding place at night, and when
we boys climbed up the rocky bluff-side
and entered the cave we huddled pretty
close together, and did not laugh very
much.
On the way up we had, in boyish
fashion, given ourselves such suggest
i've names as Daring Dick, Redhanded
Bill, Two-Fingered Jack, Roy the
Rover, Bloody Tom, and so on.
My own awe-inspiring name was
Death-Dealing Dan, while brother jeff
stood shivering in the cave under the
name of Fearless Frank. Frightened
JEFF would have been more apt cog
nomen.
We had carried sticks and brush in
to the cave during the previous day,
and after a roaring fire had been built
we grew Drawer and more boisterous.
Death-Dealing Dan dared to look be-
hind him into dark corner; Bloody
Tom let go the clutch he had on the
arm of his brother, Chief of the Paw
paws; while Red-Handed Bill screwed
up courage to speak above whisper.
By-and-by we got wonderfully brave
e'Pooh!" sneered /, ''who's afraid?
Woe, woe to the man who crosses the
path of Death-Dealing Dan this
nightr'
Eyes! yesr' roared Roy the Rover,
''my good sword and my right arm
shall share the victoryr'
"Well spoken!" cried Fearless Frank.
Brave men We are, brave men and
true! We do me honor to sup with
metz
"Nobly said, good friend! I fear
no"-
"Hush! what's thatP Stop your
noise!" exclaimed Bloody Tom. do
you hear it?''
The 'brave men and true" huddled
close together; dead stiffness reigned
in a moment. Then there was noise
near the entrance to the cave. We
started out into the darkness, and sud-
denly a li~ht-colored object became
partly visible in the darkness.
"Oh my goodness?' screeched Fear
less Frank; "it's that varmint! It's
bear, or panther! Oh! Ohr
Red-Handed Fill grasped my arm in
frantic terror. The object came a little
nearer, and we could see it, white and
tall, and two cleaning spots that looked
like duIl Goals
"a spook!' screamed Daring Dick,
and he actually fell, face downward, in
his fright.
The "spook" halted. Then Tommy
Hall, plucky little fellow of thirteen
years, had courage enough to cry out:
"Say, boys, let's egg it! Who cares
what it is! Come on! There's so
many of us, amt afraid"
Our eggs were in little piles around
the fire. In an instant perfect volley
of them were fired at the dread object.